71pc of employed youth have side hustles, survey shows
Agribusiness ranked second among top employment sectors for youth sampled (14 percent) followed by 14 percent employed in the sale of goods and services and 12 percent in hotel and tourism.
Seven in 10 employed young Kenyans have side hustles to supplement their income, underlining the quest for survival in a tough economy.
A new Geopoll survey on the perceptions of youth on employment and entrepreneurship, found that 71 percent of the respondents engaged in some entrepreneurial activity to supplement their salaries.
"Despite the variations in employment status, the majority of respondents (71 percent) reported having side hustles —small-scale entrepreneurial activities that supplement their income,” says the report.
“This highlights the resilience and adaptability of Kenya’s youth, who are leveraging their skills and creativity to navigate an unpredictable economic environment.”
From 749 Kenyans aged between 18- 35 years surveyed across the country, 70 percent have college degrees but can’t land a stable job.
Increased economic pressures have seen the youth pivot from what they studied in schools to take up blue collar jobs in various industries.
The survey found that 44 percent of respondents earn less than Sh30,000, followed by 20 percent who earn between Sh30,000 and Sh50,000, and then 17 percent who have an income ranging from Sh50,000 to Sh80,000.
Geopoll’s survey showed that only six percent said they earn over Sh150,000. More than a third of the respondents (38 percent) identified as unemployed citing an ongoing struggle to secure stable job opportunities.
Among the individuals identified as unemployed, which constitutes 37 percent of the surveyed population, 91 percent of them are actively seeking employment.
In this group, 33 percent reported that their job search has extended over the past two years, an additional 26 percent have been searching for more than one year but less than two years, while 24 percent have been in pursuit of employment for a duration of six months to one year.
Some 18 percent began their search within the last six months.
“Conversely, 37 percent reported being employed full-time, while 26 percent indicated part-time employment, reflecting the diverse ways young people are participating in the workforce,” added Geopoll.
Among the individuals identified as unemployed, which constitutes 37 percent of the surveyed population, a significant 91 percent are actively seeking employment.
In this group, 33 percent reported that their job search has extended over the past two years, an additional 26 percent have been searching for more than one year but less than two years, while 24 percent have been in pursuit of employment for a duration of six months to one year.
Some 18 percent began their search within the last six months.
A majority of those who were surveyed (19 percent) worked in the information and communication technology sector (ICT) in the digital economy.
Some of their jobs are in remote work, freelancing and content creation.
Agribusiness ranked second among top employment sectors for youth sampled (14 percent) followed by 14 percent employed in the sale of goods and services and 12 percent in hotel and tourism.
Eight percent were employed in the finance and insurance sectors, six percent in manufacturing and five percent in transport.
